Fly Fishing News

New BBNC Shareholder Survey Shows Increased Opposition to Pebble Mine

Submitted by Ted Williams on Thu, 11/24/2011 - 16:20.

Opposition to the proposed Pebble Mine has grown to 81 percent among Bristol Bay Native Corporation (BBNC) shareholders over the past four years, according to new survey results released today by the company.

“BBNC supports responsible resource development, but opposes the Pebble project due to the risks it poses to our fisheries and our Native way of life,” says BBNC President and CEO Jason Metrokin. “We believe there are other projects that could be developed in our region that would provide jobs and other economic benefits that would not present unacceptable environmental risks to our people and our land.”

The results of the new survey show a 12-percentage point increase in shareholder opposition to Pebble Mine compared to 2007, when BBNC conducted their first shareholder survey. Based on the new findings, a majority of shareholders support development of other resources within the Bristol Bay region. These include renewable resources like tidal or wind (88%), tourism and wildlife viewing (86%), sale of rock, sand and gravel (80%), sport fishing and hunting (78%), and on-shore oil and gas (57%).

BBNC commissioned Dittman Research & Communications to conduct this survey of 2,286 BBNC shareholders from September to October 2011. These results come on the heels of a separate poll of 802 Alaskan voters conducted by Strategies 360 Polling and Market Research (Oct 14-16, 2011) in which 54-percent of respondents expressed unfavorable opinions of Pebble, compared to only 32 percent favorable.

About BBNC: BBNC is one of 13 Regional Corporations formed under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971, serving more than 8,700 Eskimo, Aleut, and Athabascan shareholders with ancestral ties to the Bristol Bay region. Our mission is "Enriching our Native way of life." BBNC supports responsible resource development, defined as development that is fiscally, environmentally and socially sustainable, serving the long-term interests of our people, our region and our businesses.